McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advert created with generative AI after encountering widespread public disapproval.
The short spot was developed with the help of generative AI clips and was first released online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Viewer Reaction and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the commercial. Many called it "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an valuable lesson as we investigate the appropriate use of generative technology," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was produced for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that often go badly over the festive season, using the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI Commercials
Campaigns that include AI tools have emerged as a rising trend among major brands, particularly for the Christmas period.
- Another beverage giant has also launched consecutive AI-generated holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As clips created using generative AI are prone to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also raised concerns about job displacement in the production sector, with some observers pointing out it could affect opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.
She stated, the production process took "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then edited afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she said. "We consider it a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was largely criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, several companies have likewise received scrutiny for employing the technique in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some called "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident illustrates the evolving discussion within the marketing and production industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
